


The Importance of Utilizing Proper Signage

by Tsukino_Akume



Category: Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:58:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2115939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsukino_Akume/pseuds/Tsukino_Akume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jayden has a hopeless, pathetically head-over-heels crush on one of the baristas at his dad's coffee shop that practically everyone knows about. The one person who doesn't know? The cute barista.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Importance of Utilizing Proper Signage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rivulet027](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Braver Soldier](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1153908) by [PunkPinkPower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkPinkPower/pseuds/PunkPinkPower). 



>  
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> **Disclaimer/:** As much fun as this was to write, I could never make them not Rangers on my own, so they're definitely not mine.  
>  **Warnings/:** Brooding, Uber Fluff, Author pretending to know how coffee shops are run because she goes to Starbucks a lot  
>  **Author's Notes/:** The shop name is semi-stolen from a food truck at my work, because it was too awesome not to use. Pirate Terms were snagged from [here](http://www.thepiratesrealm.com/pirate%20talk.html) and [here.](http://www.piratetreasurenow.com/pirate-phrases.htm). Alan Shiba is semi-stolen from/inspired by PunkPinkPower and her fabulous Braver Soldier, because it works for this.
> 
> I have dubbed this Spite Fic: fic which is written out of spite for an unfinished Rare Pair Letter -Eyes Riv-, which lead to me haunting your Tumblr and deciding to use a certain picture (which can be found in the banner above) to write what I wanted using one of the pairings requested. I hope you like it, sweetie. If you don't, tough! ^_~

Jayden stared at the sign.

 _'We are OPEN. Caffeine awaits! ♥'_

After a long moment, he shook his head and headed inside. 

There was a small line, so he took his time. He pretended to consider the menu for several minutes, even though he could recite it from memory if he had to. He glanced around to see who was in today. He spotted Emily in the corner, staring dreamily at a cupcake. Dr. Oliver was in the back with his nose half-buried in a cup as he graded papers. Casey, Theo, and Lily were bickering together at one of the tables; probably on a lunch break, as they were still dressed in their JKP uniforms. There were a few other regulars he recognized, but no one else he could name. 

But as always, his eyes automatically drifted to watch the barista behind the counter. 

There was something fascinating about the way he moved. He had a smooth, natural grace as he mixed drinks and rang up the register, laughing and chatting up customers as he filled their orders. He always had a warm, easy-going smile on his face and enough energy to do the job of two people. 

Speaking of which ... 

Jayden stepped up to the counter. "Did Lauren leave you out here alone again?" 

Antonio's face lit up as he caught sight of him. "Jayden! How was the sign today?" 

"Not your best work," he told him with a shrug, ignoring Antonio's immediate pout. "A Mocha Breve, please. So where is she?" 

"Lurking around in back. She said she'd take dish duty today, but I think she's really just taste testing for Mia." 

He ducked as a towel came flying at him from the kitchen. Jayden calmly caught it in one hand. "That's technically abuse of a co-worker," he remarked mildly. 

"Yeah!" Antonio called indignantly, moving to make Jayden's order. "I'm putting you on report!" 

"Feel free," Lauren returned, raising her eyebrows at them in the kitchen doorway. "I'll be happy to report you for harassing customers." 

Antonio frowned at her. "I haven't harassed anybody except you. And Ji. And Emily when she kept smiling at her cupcake. And Alan this morning, because he was in one of his moods." 

"You're harassing Jayden." 

"But I always do that!" 

Jayden grabbed for his drink, desperately hoping he wasn't blushing. 

"And Jayden doesn't mind - " 

A hand reached out, blocking him from grabbing his coffee. "You Sir, have not paid your fee," Antonio said sternly, narrowing his eyes. "Pay up." 

Jayden sighed. "It's stereotypical and generic. Also pretty obvious. We're a coffee shop." 

"I thought it was cute." 

Jayden shrugged. "I just think you can do better." 

"Challenge accepted!" Antonio declared cheerfully as he handed him his drink. 

He took his usual seat in the armchair in the corner, settling in with his cup and taking his laptop out of his bag. Most people avoided it because of the giant cactus looming overhead from the corner behind it, but Jayden liked the way it sat on the edges of the room, allowing him to watch everyone. It wasn't a private spot, but it gave the appearance of someone who wanted to be left alone. 

It also gave him the best view of the counter. 

Most of the time he came in to steal the Wi-Fi, do his homework, and annoy Lauren. He'd been asked more than once by the few people who knew why he spent so much time in his father's coffee shop, instead of at home or somewhere else. The short answer was that home was either too quiet, or left him constantly interrupted by his parents whenever they were home. Libraries didn't allow coffee or snacks, and park benches were uncomfortable. Besides, he liked it here. 

His dad had opened Ji Hates Coffee on a whim eight years ago. It had a relaxed, hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, and an eclectic group of regulars who appreciated its uniqueness. The 'theme' was that there was no theme: random armchairs and sofas had been left around the room, interspaced with a couple of tables and mismatched chairs. There were various plants and odd decorations all over the place, including a chalkboard wall with free chalk for anyone who wanted to contribute to the chaos, and a collection of coffee cups with odd sayings hanging on the wall behind the register. 

It was quirky and quiet, and filled with interesting people. He got free drinks as his dads were the owners and his sister the manager, and free desserts whenever Mia came over from the bakery next door looking for taste-testers for her newest recipe. It got him out of the house to keep 'tou-san from fussing at him. 

And there was always the chance to talk with Antonio. 

The problem, he reflected with an internal sigh as he sipped his coffee and checked his e-mail, was that Antonio flirted like he breathed. He'd always been cheerful and friendly with Jayden, alternately teasing and hitting on him, but he did that with everyone. Even Emily, who Antonio had informed Jayden was nursing a serious crush on Mia - Antonio assured him it was mutual - and Mr. Anderson, who was older than Jayden's grandparents. 

_"He's old, not dead,"_ Antonio had informed him when he'd finally gotten up the courage to ask him about it. _"Besides, it makes him feel good."_

So while he'd like to believe there could be something between them, or at the very least that Antonio was interested, it was hard to convince himself. He knew Antonio liked him well enough, and he was pretty sure they were friends. But more than that? He was too uncertain to take the chance. 

Their first meeting had certainly been memorable. Lauren had 'forgotten' - he still wasn't sure if it had been on purpose or not - to tell Antonio that she had a brother or what he looked like. So when Jayden had ordered his usual drink and started to walk off, Antonio had teasingly pointed out that while they liked to see their customers happy, the coffee wasn't free. Jayden, not realizing that Lauren and his dad had both forgotten to tell the new guy about him, had jokingly retorted that people like him didn't have to pay. Antonio had taken it the wrong way, they started arguing, and ended up brawling in the alley out back. It wasn't until 'tou-san happened to show up and found them both exhausted and glaring at each other that anyone had realized the mistake. 

_"Sorry for the misunderstanding," Jayden offered politely. "I thought you knew."_

_Antonio regarded him silently for a long moment, seeming to size him up. "That doesn't cover tips."_

_" ... Excuse me?"_

_"Being the owners' son doesn't cover tips," he repeated. "You still owe me a tip."_

_Annoyed now, he snapped back with "Your sign is inaccurate."_

_Antonio blinked. "Huh?"_

_"You did the sign out front this morning, right? 'I like my cream and sugar with a touch of coffee'? Not everyone drinks sweetened coffee, and people who do don't all drink it the same way. That means it's inaccurate."_

_Antonio stared at him again before abruptly bursting out laughing. "_ Fantastico. _All right,_ Amigo. _I'll make you coffee, and you give me tips on our sign." He held out a hand._

_Jayden looked at it skeptically for a moment before reaching out to take it. "Deal."_

_His hesitation was clearly warranted, as Antonio seized his hand and yanked him into a back-slapping hug._

Antonio had grown on him quickly, the way he did everyone he met. 'Like fungus', as Lauren would say fondly. He was always cheerful, full of energy, and friendly every time Jayden saw him. He had instantly forgiven Jayden for their misunderstanding, but proudly regaled anyone who gave him the opportunity the story of how they'd met. He was a study in contradiction, and Jayden found himself fascinated and constantly confused by him. 

But fascination and friendship didn't necessarily make for a good relationship, he reminded himself as he settled into his chair with a sigh. 

Even if Antonio was really cute. 

****

Today's sign didn't even make sense: _'No, we don't have Wi-Fi. Talk to each other!'_

"But we do have Wi-Fi," Jayden argued as Antonio mixed his drink. He'd fought fiercely with 'tou-san over having it installed in the first place. 'tou-san felt that the coffee shop didn't need anything more than good coffee and good conversation to attract customers; Jayden had argued that offering free Wi-Fi would draw in more of them, particularly from the local college crowd. 

Being a part of that local college crowd himself now just happened to be a bonus. 

"Not today," Antonio returned cheerfully. "The new delivery guy, Kevin, dropped a box on the router this morning." 

Jayden stared at him. 

"I know, right?" Antonio shook his head in mock sadness, clearly amused. "In Kevin's defense, Mike was crawling around under a table in front of him, and Mike has a great ass. What? He does!" he insisted when Jayden gave him a look. 

Jayden shook his head, trying to ignore the sudden pang of jealousy. "Informative, but it might drive away some customers," he pointed out as he accepted his drink. 

Antonio shrugged. "Blame Mike and his _muy fabulosa_ Wi-Fi-killing ass," he suggested with a saucy wink. 

Jayden grumbled to himself as he went to his chair. He could technically still work on his homework without Wi-Fi access, but he'd have to go over it again when he got home to cite his sources. Which meant devoting more time to it then he really should have needed to. 

Stupid Mike. What was he crawling around under a table for, anyway? 

And why did he have to catch Antonio's attention with his _'muy fabulosa'_ ass? 

He resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands and glared into his cup instead, frustrated with himself. Why was he getting upset over this? He had a small, teeny-tiny crush on Antonio - maybe. It wasn't going to go anywhere, and he knew that. It was just a stupid crush. 

So why did hearing Antonio talk about Mike's ass make him want to strangle something? 

He looked up at the sound of someone dragging over a chair and frowned as Serena settled gracefully into one across from him. "You're not supposed to take your breaks out here," he reminded her for what felt like the umpteenth time. Not that it mattered; everyone always did anyway. 

"You were glaring at your coffee again," Serena explained, giving him a soft, concerned look. "What's wrong?" 

"The coffee's fine," he assured her. "I'm just frustrated about the Wi-Fi." 

He took a long drink, hoping she'd leave it at that, but she was still watching him with that same soft look when he set his cup down. 

Jayden sighed. He'd had a crush on Serena years ago, back when he'd first hit puberty and his sister finally brought home a friend that was actually nice to him. He'd eventually figured out that he wasn't interested in women after a few awkward attempts at dating, but he'd had a lingering sort of affection for her ever since. She was still one of the sweetest, most genuine people he knew, and it was hard to ignore her when he knew she really was concerned. 

"I ... I'm just ... thinking. About someone," he said lamely, hoping she'd get the hint and drop it. 

"A special someone?" she pressed gently. 

"I wish," he muttered to himself, and made a face when she lit up. "Serena - " 

"You have a crush! Oh, that's so sweet!" she cooed at him, thankfully keeping her voice too low to be overheard. 

"No, I - " 

"Tell me all about him!" 

"Serena - " 

"Is it someone I know?" She frowned thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her lips before glancing around. "Is it someone here?" 

" _Serena!_ " he hissed. 

She looked at him in surprise before turning thoughtful, then softening into a soft, understanding look. "Oh, Jayden ... " 

"Don't," he muttered, annoyed now. She couldn't have figured it out that fast, had she? He wasn't that obvious. 

At least he hoped he wasn't. 

A hand reached out to squeeze his, and he looked up into one of her sweet smiles. "I won't say anything, I promise," she assured him. "I wouldn't do that to you." 

He sighed. "Is it really that obvious?" 

"Not to anyone who doesn't know you." She offered him another smile. "But I'd like to think I know you pretty well." 

"How'd you guess?" 

"The Wi-Fi." She grinned teasingly. "And Mike isn't your type." 

"Here's hoping he's not Kevin's either," he grumbled. They couldn't afford to have the router repaired every time he showed up to drop off a delivery. 

She looked amused. "I dunno. The table trick was a little blatant for him to fall for that." She checked her watch and stood up, straightening her apron. "Besides, isn't it more important that he's not Antonio's type?" She winked, leaning over to ruffle his hair. 

He glared after her as he tried to smooth it back down. Serena and Lauren were spending *way* too much time together. She didn't used to be that obnoxious. 

... It wasn't that obvious, right? 

****

Jayden took one look at the sandwich board outside Ji Hates Coffee and kept walking. 

Fourth Street Bakery was crowded today, but Mia still noticed him the moment he walked in. "Jayden!" she greeted warmly. I'll be with you in a few minutes, okay?" 

He nodded absently, already scanning the front display. Mia's baking experiments were always the easiest to spot, as they were sold at a discount. A lot of customers passed them over because they assumed that meant they were leftover from the previous day, but Jayden knew better. 

_What flavors does Antonio like?_ he wondered. He knew Antonio loved sweets, glitter, and the color gold, but he couldn't recall seeing him eat anything in particular. Would Mia know? 

She reached him faster than he'd expected, giving him another one of her warm smiles. "Looking for something sweet today? That's not like you," she teased. 

"What did you make today?" he asked, dismissing the comment. 

"Tiramisu, Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie, and Better Than Cake." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Better than what?" 

She smiled mysteriously. "I'm not allowed to say. But it's chocolate, caramel, toffee, and whipped cream." 

"I'll take it." 

The sign had changed, he noted as he returned to JHC. Now it read _'Sex sells. Unfortunately we sell coffee.'_ in Lauren's handwriting instead of _'If you don't like gay marriage, blame straight people. They're the ones who keep having gay babies.'_ in Antonio's. He wondered if she'd changed it on her own before 'tou-san insisted. 

He slipped into the kitchen instead of waiting at the counter. Lauren glanced up at him when he entered, offering a wane smile and heading out to the floor. Which meant that Antonio *had* gotten in trouble, he sighed to himself. 

JHC was a proud supporter of the gay community - his dad refused to do anything less, and 'tou-san had learned to tolerate his whims a long time ago - but 'tou-san insisted they keep a passive-aggressive stance. It rarely mattered, especially when anyone who visited more than once learned almost immediately that it was owned by a gay couple. His dad was not subtle about anything. Ever. 

Unfortunately, that didn't mean they didn't get the occasional person wandering in off the street who didn't meet their usual clientele. And Antonio was about as subtle as Jayden's dad. 

By the time Antonio came back for his break, Jayden had the cake waiting with a fork and a cup of milk stolen from the fridge. He blinked at it for a moment before looking at Jayden questioningly. 

Jayden held up a fork, and Antonio smiled. 

Jayden felt his shoulders relax. "That's better," he heard himself say. "It's better when you smile." 

_... Did I just say that out loud?_

Antonio stared at him, wide-eyed. " ... What?" 

"Your tip for today," he said quickly. "Everyone needs to see you smile." He shrugged awkwardly, feeling stupid. "It's not the same around here when you're not smiling." 

Antonio grinned brightly and toasted him with his fork. "Well. If you insist." 

****

He eyed today's sign in trepidation, tightening his grip on his messenger bag: _To err is Human. To arr is Pirate._

He pulled out his phone and checked the date. It wasn't Talk Like a Pirate Day fortunately, so he hadn't forgotten about that. (A mistake he'd *never* make again, after being chased out of JHC by hoards of obnoxious customers while Lauren cackled at him.) Google didn't pull up any other random holidays he should be worried about. 

He stared at the door for several minutes, debating. He didn't really have the money to go somewhere else - he was living with his parents while he went to school, and he was *still* broke - and going home meant he'd be more likely to take a nap and ignore his homework entirely because he'd stayed up too late studying again. He couldn't afford to be anywhere without distractions to keep him awake right now. 

There was always the park, he considered. Or he could go next door and hang out at Mia's bakery. He didn't necessarily have to stay to drink his coffee. 

Taking a deep breath, he went in. 

The shop looked ... normal. Emily was smiling at one of her cupcakes again. Dr. Oliver was texting someone with an odd, wry smile on his face as he graded his papers. Casey and Lily were thumb wrestling at their usual table, though neither was in uniform and Theo was nowhere to be found. Mike was glaring at a notebook, textbooks piled around him. The counter and floors were clean, and there were no signs about missing stock or broken equipment. He could see 'tou-san quietly drinking tea in the internal courtyard through the open door - 

Oh, god. His parents were here. 

He could get coffee somewhere else. Maybe Mia would take pity on him and give him some water or something. He wasn't that thirsty anyway. 

He'd managed half a step backwards before his dad's voice rang out with a cheerful "Jayden! You're just in time!" 

_Shit._

"Hi, Dad." He smiled weakly as his dad bounced out of the kitchen wearing an apron and covered in what looked like seasoning. He hoped it was the right kind of seasoning, and not something weird. Again. "What's up?" 

"Just testing some new food," Alan Shiba dismissed, wiping his hands off on his jeans. 

Jayden tried not to wince. 

"So, I may need you to help out - " 

"Dad, I can't today," he interrupted quickly. "Finals week, remember? I just wanted to grab a drink and get back to studying. I shouldn't even stay, really - " 

"You can spend a few hours helping out in the kitchen," Alan scoffed, reaching for a cup. "You probably need a break anyway - " 

"Dad - " 

He had a split second to register the presence at his back before there was an arm around his chest and something pressed to his throat. "Avast, ye scurvy dog," Antonio snarled in Jayden's ear. "We Boatswain have had enough of your nonsense! We lay claim to the kitchens for the next hour, and this here Marooner is our hostage until we see fit to set him free!" 

Alan rolled his eyes. "Antonio - " 

"FREEDOM OR DEATH!" Antonio bellowed, and Jayden flinched. "Sorry, Jay," he added more quietly, dragging him slowly but steadily toward the kitchen door. He waved the object he'd been holding - which turned out to be a bottle of caramel syrup - threateningly at Alan. "One hour o' peace, and if ye not be gone by then, _the consequences be on yer head_." 

Jayden blinked at the kitchen door as it slammed closed in front of him. 

"Sorry about that," Antonio said cheerfully, moving to snag a stool and take a place across from Lauren at the serving counter. She toasted him with a bottle of chocolate syrup before continuing to drip chocolate over what was shaping up to be the biggest sundae he'd ever seen. "Your dad's being annoying today, so we decided to kick him out and take lunch together." 

"And you're dragging me into this why?" he grumbled, snagging a stool of his own. It figured that Serena was off today; she was usually the best at keeping the other two in line when his dad was in one of his moods. 

"We threatened mutiny an hour ago, when he started asking us to taste-test the food he was making while we were working the counter," Lauren informed him. "Dad told me to stop being 'cute'." 

"He ruffled her hair," Antonio added, eyeing Lauren warily as her eyes narrowed. 

"So we're taking lunch before he finds himself tied up in a closet," she finished, reaching for the sprinkles as she studied her sundae with a careful eye. 

"And you've been studying for finals all week, so I figured you could use a break," Antonio agreed, handing him a spoon with a bright smile. 

"'tou-san hasn't said anything?" he wondered, trying to ignore the fluttery feeling in his stomach at Antonio's smile as he accepted the spoon. Antonio remembered he had finals? 

Lauren snorted. "When does he *ever*?" 

He shrugged, conceding her point. 'tou-san would interfere if he really thought their dad was getting out of hand, but he generally let him run wild when he was in one of his moods until he was done. And it wasn't always guaranteed that he'd actually succeed in stopping him either, especially if Dad was really on a roll. 

"Are we eating anything besides ice cream for lunch?" he wondered, taking a spoonful of the sundae and dodging Lauren's foot when she tried to kick him under the counter. 

"We ordered a pizza, and there's plenty of coffee," Antonio assured him. "The ice cream is our reward for getting through the first half of the day." 

"Which is why Dad's trying to get me to help close tonight?" he guessed. He wasn't exactly an official employee - he had no interest in working here, let alone enough time - but he'd been known to help out if they were shorthanded. 

Lauren snorted again. "Not if he doesn't want tou-san to take his head off. You know how he feels about putting your schoolwork first." 

He eyed his bag at that. He should get back to studying, really. This was nice, but he still had three more tests to go, and he still wasn't solid on renaissance-era paintings. 

A hand waved in front of his face, startling him, and he blinked at Antonio's scowl. "Nope. You are taking a break," Antonio insisted. "You're having some coffee, and sugar, and good old-fashioned junk food, and that's final." 

The corner of his mouth quirked. "Am I." 

They all started at the sound of the kitchen door rattling. "Did you kids lock this door?" his dad called, sounding annoyed. "I need to finish my pork rub!" 

"GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!" Antonio shouted back. 

"This territory is ours!" Lauren yelled, stealing the caramel syrup from Antonio to add a bit more to the sundae. "Just try and take it!" 

They both looked at him, and Jayden sighed. "All hands on deck." 

Antonio beamed at him, and he shoved the fluttery feeling back down, stealing another bite of ice cream. "Thanks for the warning, by the way," he added, thinking of the sign. 

That got him a grin. "You like?" 

"I almost ran for my life," he retorted, and Antonio laughed. 

Lauren smirked. "Sounds like it served its purpose, then." 

_It certainly had_ , he thought with a resigned sigh, smiling reluctantly as Antonio moved to make him a cup of coffee. 

****

"Didn't you read the sign?" 

Jayden held out a hand without looking up from his essay. The new semester was kicking his ass, and his newest art history teacher had a sadistic streak. "Yes. Where's my free kitten?" 

He could feel Lauren rolling her eyes at him. "Have you given Antonio his tip yet? He was pouting a few minutes ago." 

"'Appropriate, but overdone," he repeated, trying not to remember the way Antonio's expectant face had fallen when he said it. But as cute as _'Unattended children will be given espresso and a free kitten'_ was, it was still true. 

Lauren gave him an unimpressed look. "Did you even tell him if you liked it?" 

"And feed his ego more?" 

... Damn it, he didn't, did he? 

"So then it's your fault he's making everyone upset with his sad puppy eyes." 

"Should I have lied?" he demanded, annoyed. "Besides, I thought keeping him in line was your job." 

She raised an eyebrow. "In line, sure. But it looks like keeping him happy is yours." 

And she walked away, leaving Jayden staring after her with a horrible, foreboding feeling. 

_Does she know? She couldn't know. Serena said it wasn't that obvious._

... Unless you knew him, which Lauren did. 

_Shit._

For a moment, he seriously contemplated buying his sister's silence. 

It wasn't that Lauren couldn't be trusted to keep a secret or anything. And it wasn't like he honestly thought she was going to try to embarrass him, or blackmail him for information. But she *was* the kind of person who would do something he didn't want if she thought it was 'for his own good'. 

He frowned at his cappuccino. What would be for his own good would be helping him get over this stupid crush. Like telling him about Antonio's vices - Seriously, did the guy even *have* any? He was practically freaking *perfect* - or stories about how obnoxious he could be and Jayden just hadn't noticed. Or introducing him to someone new. Or something. 

It wasn't like he hadn't tried, exactly. Meeting someone. It was just ... 

No one else was Antonio. 

He sighed irritably, scrubbing a hand over his face. He *had* tried to meet people, in classes at school, in the quad at lunch. But making small talk had never been his strong point, and everyone else seemed to just ... fall in with each other. He'd try to say something to someone new and end up stumbling over his own tongue. Or worse, they'd just stare at him until he muttered an excuse and walked away. 

His 'tou-san had told him for years that there was nothing wrong with being shy. His dad told him to be himself. Lauren shrugged and said he just needed to meet the right people, usually followed by a hug or a hair ruffle. 

And he'd had friends, here and there. It just seemed like when he was at school, people ignored him or asked for his notes. The only place he ever seemed to be able to talk to anyone was at Ji Hates Coffee, and that was just because he was here practically every day. 

Something landed on his head, and he jerked up with a start. 

"Let it never be said that I don't keep my promises," Antonio informed him, wagging a finger before heading back to the counter. 

Jayden reached up to pull whatever it was off his head. Then he spent several minutes staring at the kitten beanie baby in his hands. There was a heart-shaped tag attached to its ear. Written inside was _'To: Jayden. Smile! You look like you're going to murder someone. Murder is bad for business! From: Antonio ♥'._

He buried his face against the kitten and laughed helplessly, feeling like he was going to cry. 

****

"You sir, are a lying liar who lies." 

Jayden looked up from his computer, blinking. He'd been in the middle of typing up potential ideas for his group project before their meeting, and it took him a moment to refocus his attention on the person in front of him. " ... Excuse me?" 

Antonio loomed over him, arms folded and eyes narrowed. "Two days after we first met, you told me that you can't draw." 

Jayden raised an eyebrow. "I can't." 

"I hear otherwise." 

"Lauren lies," he said automatically. It was more likely that his dad that had said something to Antonio, because his dad could be obnoxious that way. But he wouldn't put it past Lauren either, especially if she was mad at him for something. It was best to start small and work his way up. 

Antonio looked amused. "It was Emily, actually." 

"Emily lies." 

They stared at each other. Antonio was clearly trying not to smile. 

Jayden sighed. "I can't draw," he repeated. "You asked me to contribute to the chalk wall." 

"But you do something." A teasing grin was starting to slip across his face. 

"It's not - " But Antonio was still grinning and obviously knew already, so he sighed again. "I paint," he admitted reluctantly. "My 'tou-san taught me, and it's - " He hesitated. "I make _Suibokuga_. It's a style of Japanese painting." 

He was waiting for Antonio to laugh and ask if he was serious - like Mike had - or ask what it was, like Emily. Or worse, say "Awww ... " the way Mia had when she' caught him painting a card for 'tou-san's birthday last year. 

To his surprise, Antonio lit up like a Christmas tree. " _Fabuloso!_ Would you paint something for me?" 

Jayden stared at him. 

"You ... Do you know which painting style I mean?" he asked slowly. 

Antonio mock-scowled at him."It's a monochrome style of ink painting introduced from China during the Muromachi period in Japan. I do have *some* culture, you know." 

"I didn't - " 

Antonio waved him off, turning away with his nose in the air. "No more words. The only apologies I will accept are my tip for today and a painting." 

Jayden's jaw worked for a moment. 

"Whiny," he said at last, feeling unsettled and vaguely confused. " _'Depresso: the feeling when you've run out of coffee'_ sounds whiny." It had been a little funny, though. 

Emily was *so* dead. 

He spent the next half an hour doodling ideas of things to paint on napkins before inevitably scratching them out. Paint something for Antonio? What was he supposed to paint for him? Did Antonio really even know what type of painting he was talking about? He said he had, but Mike had pretended to know too, and that was - 

"Hey, these are cool." 

He jerked in his seat, glaring at Mike as he slipped into the chair next to him. "Don't sneak up on me like that." 

"Pay more attention when you're waiting for people," Mike retorted, still studying the discarded napkins he'd been doodling on. 

"Sorry I'm late!" Emily burst out breathlessly, leaning her bicycle against the wall behind them and sliding into the other empty chair. "I got distracted and I didn't realize what time it was, I'm really sorry - " 

"You have frosting on your face," Jayden interrupted calmly. Emily turned bright red, hurriedly trying to wipe at her cheeks, and he sighed, "Right side of your mouth." He turned to look at Mike, snatching back some of his napkins and ignoring when they tore. "Did you find a host site for the project?" 

"Hey, I was looking at those!" Mike protested. He huffed. "I found three. Depends on how much space we need, and how much we're willing to spend." 

"Whatever we need to get it done," he shrugged. He reached out with his fork, taking a piece of Emily's strawberry tart. 

"Hey! Thief!" she protested. 

He leveled her with a look as he chewed thoughtfully. "You," he informed her, swallowing. "Told Antonio I paint." 

"Ooh, Antonio Issues," Mike teased. "He'll never forgive you for that one, Em." 

"I didn't realize it was a big secret," she protested. "You're really good, Jayden." 

"'Antonio Issues'?" 

Jayden froze. 

Mike looked up, offering Antonio a casual shrug. "Yeah, you know. As in Jayden has an issue with confidence in his painting skills, and now you know about it, so you'll never let him hear the end of it." 

Antonio raised an eyebrow at Jayden, luckily missing the pained grimace Mike made as Emily kicked him hard under the table. "You have a confidence issue, huh? Well, you're right about needing that fixed. Don't worry," he added cheerfully, "Antonio will make everything better!" 

He ruffled Jayden's hair and walked away, leaving Jayden glaring furiously at Mike, who swallowed nervously. 

"Oops?" 

****

_To Our Emily ♥,_

_Mia has been nursing a crush on you for months._  
_You have had a crush on Mia for months._  
_(Hints: Taste-testing. Cupcake Smiles.)_  
_Please ask her out and put the rest of us forced_  
_to watch you both flirting out of our misery._

_Good luck! (Not that you need it.)_  
_Ji Hates Coffee_

For a long time, Jayden just stared at the sign. 

_\- nursing a crush on you for months -_

_\- Cupcake Smiles -_

_\- forced to watch you both flirting -_

His fist clenched on his bag, but he forced himself to push the door open anyway. He needed to get some coffee and check his e-mail to make sure Mike had received the pictures all right, and the Wi-Fi at the school cafeteria had always been spotty. He just needed to do that, and then he'd be on his way. 

_\- been nursing a crush on you for months -_

There was only one person ahead of him in line today, and Antonio finished up with her quickly before turning to him with a bright smile. "Jayden! How's - " 

"Café Creme," he said shortly, cutting him off. "I'm in a hurry." 

Antonio stopped, giving him an odd look. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine. I've just got a lot to get done today, and I need to get moving." 

Antonio nodded slowly, still watching him out of the corner of his eye as he moved to make his drink. "Busy day?" 

He grunted, tapping his fingers impatiently on the counter. "Enough." 

_\- nursing a crush -_

"All set!" Antonio declared brightly. He held up a finger when Jayden reached for it. "Uh uh. Tip first. That's the deal," he teased. "Come on, what'd you think?" 

"I think that this is a place of business, and we shouldn't be trying to match make our customers," he snapped. 

Antonio flinched, staring at him with wide eyes. "What are you talking about, Jay? Emily and Mia are our friends," he protested. "I'm just ... trying to help them out." 

"Then do it on your own time, not using company property," he shot back, taking his drink. His chest felt tight, and his eyes were hot. "I've gotta go." 

He hurried out the door, trying to push Antonio's hurt face from his mind. 

_\- been nursing a crush on you for months -_

****

He spent the next three days avoiding JHC like the plague. He drank coffee from the school cafeteria (which was *awful*), and did his homework either in the library or at home. 'tou-san had asked him if something was wrong, giving him that knowing look when he lied and said he was fine. But he didn't push it, which meant Jayden could continue being a coward. 

Right up until the night Lauren barged into his room, grabbed a pillow off his head, and proceeded to beat him into the floor with it. 

"I give! I give!" he yelled into the carpet, trying and failing to push her away. How the hell was she so freaking strong? He had at least fifty pounds on her! 

She rolled him over and sat on him, grabbing him by the shoulders and leaning down to glare into his eyes. "I don't know what happened between you and Antonio, and I don't care," she hissed. "But you will fix it, _or I will_." 

He swallowed. "Okay." 

"Okay?" 

"Okay, okay! Just get off me," he grumbled. 

She studied him for a long moment, gave a decisive nod, and left his room as quickly as she'd come. 

Jayden stayed where he was, staring at the ceiling. 

He'd been an ass, and he knew it. There was no reason to tear into Antonio just because - just because he was - 

_\- been nursing a crush on you for months -_

Just a crush. Right. 

He closed his eyes, willing the burning to go away. 

Okay. He'd been completely, unforgivably awful to Antonio. He had to apologize. 

Even if it felt like his heart was being stabbed every time he thought about it. 

****

Jayden stared at the sandwich board. 

_Today your barista is:_

_1) Hella fucking gay._  
_2) Desperately single._

_For your drink today, I recommend:_  
_You give me your number._

" ... Jayden?" 

He turned. Antonio stood at the door, holding the trash and watching him with a hesitant, hopeful look on his face. "Hey, uh. How's it going?" 

Jayden closed his eyes. "I can't do this," he muttered. 

"What?" 

He shook his head, tightening his grip on his bag. "I'm sorry, Antonio. I just ... I can't. I can't do this anymore." 

"Can't - " 

He ducked his head, avoiding Antonio's confused stare. "I have to go," he muttered. 

"Jayden - Jayden, _wait!_ " 

He wasn't running away, exactly. He was making a strategic retreat. Just until he could get his head on straight. Right now he couldn't even look at Antonio without wanting to yell at him in frustration. Or kiss him, which was even more embarrassing. 

He had to get this under control somehow. If he could just bury his stupid feelings, this wouldn't be an issue. Then he'd be able to see Antonio as a friend, and apologize for being a jerk, and they'd be okay. He'd be okay. If he could just stop ... _wanting_ , he'd ... he'd get over it. 

He just needed to get over it. 

"Jayden, _stop_." 

He spun as a hand closed on his arm, fist raised automatically in defense. 

Antonio stared back at him, and his arm dropped. He closed his eyes, feeling tired and resigned. "Antonio, I really need to be alone right now." 

"Fine. Be alone," Antonio returned calmly, letting his arm go and moving to lean against the building next to them. "Right after you tell me why you're so mad at me." 

He sighed. "I'm not mad at you." 

"Could have fooled me," Antonio retorted. "What do you call quoting company policy and avoiding me for three days?" 

_Self-preservation._

There must have been something in his face, because Antonio's expression softened. "Look Jay, I forgave you the moment it happened. But it's not like you to snap like that, and I'm worried about you." 

Something drained out of him at that. He sighed again, moving to lean against the wall next to him. "You've been calling me Jay lately," he noted. 

Antonio raised an eyebrow. "Never heard you complain." 

He shrugged. "It doesn't bother me. It's just ... No one's ever called me that before." 

"That's because no one's realized what an awesome nickname it is." 

He snorted, glancing at him. "'Awesome'?" 

"Awesome," Antonio affirmed. "It fits you." 

He wondered how a nickname was supposed to 'fit' someone, and shook his head. "You ... You harass me. All the time. You rescue me from my dad whenever he's trying to get free labor. You bought me a stuffed kitten. You asked me to paint for you. You gave me my drink with a heart drawn in the foam." He shook his head again, and a bitter laugh escaped. "I fell asleep in the kitchen during finals week and you covered me with a blanket." 

Antonio's expression smoothed out. "Ah. So this is about me hitting on you, then." 

He thumped his head back against the wall. "No. This is about me falling in love with you." 

It was barely a murmur, and he found himself surprised he'd actually managed to say it. Even more that he'd finally admitted it wasn't just a crush anymore - if it had ever been that. He'd been falling in love with Antonio slowly, in bits at a time, for the past six months. Maybe as far back as the day they met. 

There was a long silence. 

"I'm not trying to push anything on you," he muttered. "I'm not asking for anything. I just. You asked, and that's it. I'm not mad. Just ... " _Heartbroken_ , he finished silently. 

"Jayden." 

He glanced out of the corner of his eye. Antonio was facing him now, still leaning against the wall, and he looked far too amused. "Are you telling me you've actually noticed? I thought you were trying to turn me down nicely." 

His heart skipped a beat. "You flirt with everyone," he countered. 

"Flirt. You did hear the part about me hitting on *you*, right?" 

"There's a difference?" 

He wasn't sure exactly when Antonio had moved closer. All he knew was that there was a hand on his hip and he was staring into a pair of very warm, dark eyes. "There's definitely a difference," Antonio assured him, pulling him closer. 

_Oh. Good,_ he thought distantly as Antonio kissed him. _As long as there's a difference._

****

"So, I'm thinking you should start tipping me in kisses from now on." 

Jayden gave his boyfriend an amused look over the espresso machine. "How about no?" 

"But it's more economical," Antonio argued. 

"'tou-san would kill us. Or more importantly, you." 

"Your dad wouldn't let him. He'd have to train a new barista." 

"No, Antonio," he sighed, trying and failing not to smile. "I'm not tipping you in kisses." 

"Oh, God. Are you two always going to be this nauseating?" Mike demanded from the table behind Jayden. 

"Mike! Don't be rude!" Kevin hissed at him. 

"Hey, we have a right to protest," Mike argued. "We are paying customers." 

"And you're dating an employee," Mia pointed out calmly, feeding Emily a cherry off her cupcake as she giggled at them. "Which means it could technically apply to you, too." 

"That is cruel, and totally unfair, and I am shutting up now." He waved a hand at Jayden. "You two go ahead and be as disgustingly cute as you like." 

Antonio cocked an eyebrow at Jayden. "Well, if we have Mike's permission ... " 

He laughed. "I liked your sign today," he told him instead. "It was funny." 

Antonio beamed. "I thought it was appropriate. _'When life gives you lemons, throw the lemons back in life's face and say: "You know what life? I didn't ask for lemons. I ordered an espresso."' _"__

Jayden chuckled. It certainly fit their relationship, to say the least. "I definitely like it better than yesterday's," he added absently as he took his Caffé Affogato, letting his fingers linger on Antonio's wrist. 

Antonio frowned at him. "Yesterday's wasn't that bad," he argued. "I thought it was appropriate." 

"Unless it was a last-ditch effort getting my attention, it was that bad," he retorted. "Even if it did work.” 

There was a pause, and he realized Antonio was giving him a funny look. "How was _'A cup of coffee probably won't solve your problems, but it's nice to have anyway'_ hitting on you? I mean yeah, I was hoping you'd see it and tell me what was bothering you, but I've written worse on there." 

Jayden carefully set down his cup down on the counter. "That's not the sign I saw outside yesterday," he said slowly. 

A towel thumped him on the back of the head. 

"You're welcome," Ji Shiba informed him calmly as he walked past him and into the kitchen.


End file.
